The present invention relates to sample analyzers, for example, blood analyzers, biochemical analyzers, urine analyzers, industrial particle analyzers, and the like.
Sample analyzers such as conventional blood analyzers incorporate a body for analyzing samples, and a conveyor for conveying a rack. A row of sample containers containing sample material are arrayed on the rack. A bar code representing an identification number (ID) is affixed to the sample container to identify the sample material. The conveyor is provided with a rack conveying mechanism and a stock unit (rack recovery part) The rack conveying mechanism accommodates the rack, and conveys the rack to the stock unit (rack recovery part). The body is provided with a bar code reader, suction unit, and analysis unit. The body reads the ID of the sample container conveyed by the rack conveying mechanism, suctions the sample material from within the sample container, and analyzes the suctioned sample material.
Analyzed samples may need re-examination when analysis results are anomalous, and particular care must be exercised in handling because the sample materials housed in the internal units may be infected with an infectious virus. Accordingly, the users of the sample analyzer must recognize whether re-examination of the sample is needed and the sample is infected with an infectious virus.
In conventional sample analyzers, however, a user must read the ID from a sample container accommodated in the rack recovery unit, and compare the ID, analysis result, and virus infection status in order to recognize whether re-examination is needed and the sample is infected. This operation is extremely complex.
A conventional specimen sorting apparatus has a path of conveyance including a rack transporting conveyor and a rack sorting conveyor connected to the downstream end of the rack conveyor, a rack supply conveyor provided at one side of the rack transporting conveyor, a first specimen bar code reader disposed in the vicinity of the rack supply conveyor, a printer disposed near the downstream end of the rack transporting conveyor and adapted to operate in accordance with instructions given by a host computer, a rack bar code reader and a second specimen bar code reader disposed along the path of conveyance between the rack supply conveyor and the printer, a table disposed at one side of the rack sorting conveyor and having a predetermined number of storage sections defined thereon and a plurality of pusher mechanisms arranged along the rack sorting conveyor and associated with the respective storage sections (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,795).
A conventional specimen-container transfer apparatus has a conveyance unit for transferring specimen-container racks, a specimen-container ID reader for reading specimen-container identification signals from the specimen-container racks transported by the conveyance unit; a specimen-container housing rack table on which specimen container housing racks for housing specimen containers can be set up; specimen-container transfer means for taking specimen containers out of specimen-container racks and putting them into specimen-container housing racks; and a control unit for controlling the order in which the specimen containers are put into the specimen-container housing rack (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,255,614).
For example, although specimens needing re-examination and samples not needing re-examination can be sorted in the above mentioned specimen sorting apparatus and specimen-container transfer apparatus, these apparatuses are disadvantageously large and complex.